120v plug in the wall fan for bator for $20

[opihiman911]

I found this 120v plug in the wall variable speed computer fan. http://www.buyextras.com/topmo40x40x1.html

They had several differnt sizes, but I chose the smallest one bucause last time I tried using a large 4" 120v fan it heated up my bator too much. It is 1.5"x1.5", very small so it fit right on top of the bator no problem. I didn't have small enough screws to fit so I just zip tied it through two of the hole in the top. The only problem I saw is you have to leave a gap on the top so it doesn't interfer with the fan spinning, no problem being it is zip tied. If you screw in I would probally put a popsicle stick in between for a gap. Also I might add a little cage around it to protect jumping chicks from getting a haircut or worse after they hatch.
For the last week I have had it in there on the fastest speed and the temp has been the same all over the bator, same in the middle as the edges. I put a small candle inside and closed the bator and it was enough to cause the flame to flicker and eventually blow it out. Seem to be working fine and doing its job.
Thought you out ther would like the link to add a fan without having to splice wires or have a big 12v power pack. For $20 including shipping it seems to be doing the job, and is half the price of the LG turbo fans.

Aloha,
Cory

 

[skeeter]

i thought i read a post about not having the fan blow directly on the eggs,they said it would dry them out ,I would ask speckled hen what she thinks

 

[d_rooster]

I rigged my own LG incubator fan, too. I just stood mine up on the bottom wire rack and aimed it at the the opposite side of the incubator, but not directly at the eggs. My fan is the larger, standard sized personal computer fan which I recycled from one of my old computers. I cut some plastic canvas (found in the craft dept. at Walmart) to fit the exposed side of my fan and hot glued it to the fan at the edges. I figured that the plastic canvas has a grid small enough to exclude chick beaks, but large enough to allow the air to still flow through. I might consider mounting it on the lid of the incubator after this hatch is over. I had added the fan after I had trouble keeping temps steady on the first day of incubation, but I was afraid to fiddle with it anymore than necessary once it was working. I figured if it wasn't broken, the I wouldn't try to fix it.

 

[johnnyjack]

whats those eyeballs doing in ur bator? lol

 

[speckledhen]

Johnny, looks like the eyeballs are toy things inside the water weasel, LOL. They have all sorts of decorative stuff in them.

I would make the fan blow across the humidity source and the heat source at the same time, if at all possible. Then the moist air is circulated around the bator and not drying out the eggs by blowing directly on them; however, in regular foam bators you purchase, the fan is blowing downward onto the eggs, so I don't know. I have had membranes of long-pipped chicks dry out very quickly that were directly under the fan.

 

[earthnut]

that's good to know about eggs under the fan. I put mine near there, and they were fine, but I'll probably put them a bit further away next time.

 

[opihiman911]

Yup..... the eyeballs came with the wiggler. I had no choice they just sent it to me. Though its a good way to keep an eye on the little one, and they get used the being watched all the time

DW says it fitting for my mad science project.

I can easily move the fan so it blows across the top. Or maybe mount a little metal plate an inch or two bellow it. That will protect the chicks from hitting it and deflect the air so it doesn't blow right on the eggs.

Work in progress.

Aloha,
Cory